


get out and live

by daydreamsago



Series: time warp [3]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - Prohibition Era, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Drunk Driving, Gangsters, Gun Violence, Illegal Activities, M/M, Secret Relationship, Sort Of, Speakeasies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-07-16 15:15:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16088729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daydreamsago/pseuds/daydreamsago
Summary: November 1925.





	get out and live

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to another self indulgent phan fic of mine, let me know what you think!!

Dan loved the nighttime, especially in the winter, when snowflakes would fall, and make the sky appear soft against the glow of the streetlights. New York City was always scenic, with all its pretty shop windows and energetic people that never seemed to sleep. It felt like a different world at this time. But he couldn’t appreciate it fully, not right now at least, for he had to make sure Phil didn’t crash their car.

“We’re almost there, I-I think... the place should be around somewhere,” Phil spoke, speech slurred. He shouldn’t have been behind the wheel, Dan knew all too well. They were already in enough danger by just being out and about, with a cab full of moonshine.

“I’m aware, Phil,” he replied, eyeing the other man’s poor driving skills nervously. He wasn’t looking to die tonight; he had a boatload of booze to get off his hands, and was excited to finally cash in. It’s the strongest stuff he’s ever brewed, and perhaps that was the reason why Phil appeared to be quite drunk already. Letting him try it before they left was probably a bad idea. He groaned, “just keep your eyes on the road, would you please?”

Luckily for the two of them, they arrived at the location they agreed on with the manager of the bar. When Phil stopped the car, Dan jumped out for a quick look around.

”Is it safe?” Phil asked, promptly a bit too loud, but the hustle and bustle of the city traffic helped to mask his voice. Rush hour was coming to a close, which meant their usual customers would be arriving soon to drink the night away.

Dan sighed. “Yeah, appears to be.” He felt around for his gun, checking to make sure he still had it on him—never knowing when he’d need the thing made him nervous as hell. It was loaded, ready just in case something got ugly. He tried not to think about the possibilities.

Phil got out of the driver’s seat, making it quite obvious that he was intoxicated. He stumbled against the side of the black Oldsmobile, hands resting against the door. Dan retreated to his side, grabbing him by the waist. He turned the other man so that he was facing him. “Get a hold of yourself, Phil! We can’t afford to mess this up tonight,” he told him, sincere.

His face was unreadable, but he was leaning in slowly. “Sorry, love you...” Phil slurred, looking at Dan’s lips longingly.

Dan pushed him away, though he didn’t want to. “Not here, okay?”

“Later?” he asked.

“Of course,” was Dan’s reply. It was not a promise.

 

They successfully delivered the fresh booze, the manager paying them in full. They split the cash fifty-fifty, burying it deep within their pockets. The banks were closed for the night, and wouldn’t be open until the next morning. It felt somewhat dangerous carrying so much cash. Dan would be on high alert for the rest of the night.

There was a jazz singer booked for the night, a glamourous young woman who looked pleased as the growing crowd filtered in slowly from the back door. She had short hair, and wore a long dress that sparkled when it caught the light. Dan watched as she took a sip of something in a tall glass; most likely an alcoholic beverage, given their location. She handed it to someone backstage, then walked up to the center of the stage. The band began to play, the crowd hollering with excitement.

Dan didn’t care to catch her name, too busy looking after Phil. He was starting to sober up a bit, thankfully. They stood in the back of the bar, watching over the speakeasy. There wasn’t really any need for them to hang around after getting the booze off their hands, but they liked to enjoy the atmosphere. It gave them something to do.

But on that cloudy night, Dan seemed aloof, enough for Phil to notice, even in his hardly sober state. He stood against the wood paneling near the bar, arms crossed. His eyes were wandering between the mass of people and the ground.

“Dan, what’s going on with you? You’ve been acting funny all night.” Phil had to ask, his lover’s coldness chilling him to the bone. He wasn’t himself.

Dan shrugged. “I’m fine,” he replied simply. “Why do you ask?”

Phil shook his head. “You’re quiet, which isn’t like you at all.”

“I’m just thinking, that’s all.”

“Oh come on, Dan. We both know that’s bullshit.” Phil decides to prod. “Talk to me.”

That earned a sigh from Dan. He looked up to make eye contact with Phil, even though the dim lighting of the corner they were nestled in made it difficult to see each other. “I just... miss you,” he said, voice quiet.

“Why?” Phil asks, closing some distance between them. He reached out to place a hand on Dan’s shoulder. “I’m right here.”

Dan felt himself melt a little, as if he were ice in the summer sun. “This is a public place, we can’t-”

“Who cares? It’s dark, just kiss me,” Phil persuaded, knowing that everyone in the room would be too drunk to notice them anyway.

“Phil, no one will buy booze from us ever again if they find out we’re together, and they’ll turn us in,” Dan spoke frantically. “We’re not... _normal_.”

Phil had had enough of Dan’s nonsense talk. He grabbed his arm and dragged him to the nearest restroom, the door nearest to where they were standing. He shut the door behind them and turned on the light, letting his hands fall on Dan’s hips, like they were meant to do just that. He leaned in close, and watched his eyes adjust to the light—pupils shrinking, then dilating all over again.

“Better?” He asked. He can hear the music still, the upbeat jazz becoming the soundtrack of their night.

Dan melted again, knowing he’d soon be nothing but a puddle. Phil did things to him. “Much better,” he sighed.

Phil leaned in and did what he had been waiting to do all night: he kissed Dan’s lips. The kiss started out sweet, but soon turned into a desperate game. Dan gripped onto Phil, as tightly as his hands would allow. They felt safe, although someone could walk in at any given moment. Perhaps the danger of it was part of the game, fueling the adrenaline they both could feel bubbling in their stomachs.

“Love you,” Dan confessed when they pulled apart, breathily. He had forgotten to say it back earlier, and he felt bad about it. Phil was tipsy, but he knew he meant it.

Phil smiled. “And I love you.” With that, he attached his mouth to Dan’s neck, pushing him flush against the wall. He sucked on the skin, enough to leave a mark. He loved covering Dan’s body in bruises, leaving evidence of their time spent together.

The moment was heavenly, until the music came to an abrupt halt. The sound of the jazz band was replaced with yelling, then a scream, and a lone gunshot could be heard. Phil pulled away, giving Dan a look that spelled fear.

“Oh god,” Dan whispered. “What do we do?”

“I don’t know.” Phil’s mind was racing, trying to think of something. “We need to get out of here, right now.”

Another gunshot, this one sounded closer.

“Phil, they’ll see us,” Dan reasoned. He could feel his heart beating erratically in his chest. His hands began to tremble; he grabbed for Phil’s, and found that his were trembling too.

“They’ll find us eventually. We can’t stay in here, we need to go!” Phil was frantic. He squeezed Dan’s hands and watched the fear swirl in his eyes.

Everything was happening too fast, which caused his head to spin. Maybe, if he was lucky enough, he’d wake up from slumber and realize it was nothing but a silly dream. “Okay,” Dan agreed, “the bar is close, we can hide behind it.”

Phil was about to slip out the door, until Dan pulled him back. He pulled out his gun, the one he hoped he wouldn’t have to use earlier. He had to protect the two of them somehow. “Wait, let me go first.”

The older man moved to stand behind him, letting go of his hand in the process. He could feel his heart in his throat, his insides stirring in anticipation for what they’d find on the other side of the door.

Dan pulled the door open and made a beeline for the back of the bar, with Phil on his heels. He only saw a flash of the scene before him: people with their hands up, surrendering, and a few littering the floor. He couldn’t identify the danger, for the room was much too dark.

The bartender was the only other person hiding behind the bar; he gave the two of them an acknowledging glance. Dan leaned closer to the man. “What’s going on?” he whispered, afraid of the answer.

“Another gang, I think. They want everything we’ve got,” he replied. “You need to get out of here, now.”

“ _Shit_...” Dan cursed under his breath. He peeked over the side of the bar, spotting one gunman in the shadows. He appeared to be holding someone by the shirt collar, while he pressed the gun to their temple.

Part of Dan wanted to abandon his hiding spot and take the guy down, but another part of him knew for a fact he wouldn’t make it out alive. He sighed heavily, breath uneven.

“I know where the door is.” Phil tugged on Dan’s arm to urge him away from the side, not wanting him to be seen. “If we’re quick enough, they won’t even see us.”

The gun felt heavy in Dan’s hands. His finger was hooked around the trigger, ready to pull when he needed. He had never once shot someone before, perhaps tonight would be the first time. That thought alone made him feel utterly perturbed. “Let’s go then,” Dan said to him. “I’ve got your back.”

Before he could process what was happening, they were running towards the exit, towards what they hoped would be freedom. They could go home together and pretend none of this ever happened-

But it just didn’t work out that way.

A bullet was buried in Dan’s thigh, knocking him down to the ground instantly. Another shot came a second later, missing Phil by mere inches. The shock of it had him face down on the ground, next to his wounded lover with the wind knocked from his lungs.

“Dan!” Phil couldn’t help but scream his name. He grabbed his face, tilting it so that he could look into his eyes. He could feel Dan’s blood soaking into his own pants. “ _No_...”

“Phil, listen to m-me...” Dan’s voice was pained, reflecting how he felt. “Go without me.”

“I won’t do that, I _can’t_ ,” Phil cried, his world falling apart more with each second that crawled on by.

Dan reached into his pocket, pulling out the wad of cash from earlier in the night. “Here... take this.” He passed over his gun, too. “And this.”

Phil couldn’t see past the tears welling in his eyes. “I’m not leaving you!”

“I won’t let y-you die for me, Phil.” Dan’s words hurt him to say more than any bullet ever would.

More shots were fired across the room, and Phil knew he was running out of time. They were _both_ running out of time. He kissed Dan’s lips, tears falling onto his face haphazardly. His heart was breaking.

“Get out, go find your passion. Get out and _live_ ,” Dan told him, heart broken. He never wanted this to happen, but nothing could reverse it now.

Phil shook his head, unwilling to go, though he knew Dan was right. “L-Love you, always,” he said, for the last time.

“Forever,” Dan replied, with a sad smile.

Phil took the gun and the cash from him, then stumbled towards the exit door. He didn’t look back, even though every cell in his body screamed for him to turn around, to drag Dan with him, injured or not. It hurt to know that he would die there, and never see his wonderful face again.

When he made it out into the street, he picked a direction, and ran like hell.


End file.
